After its destruction in 1811, the coastal town of Al Zubarah in Qatar was nothing but a heap of ruins. Only a small part of it was reoccupied at the end of the 19th century before being abandoned for good. The urban layout of the 18th-century area has therefore almost entirely been preserved. Between five hundred and six hundred buildings have now been identified, making it possible to estimate the population to around five or six thousand inhabitants. The imposing patio houses with porticos are the most common architectural form in the city, reflecting its prosperity. To date, only a minor part of the city has been excavated, in three phases: in the early 1980s, between 2002 and 2003, and from 2009 onwards. Since then, new excavations are systematically buried under sand and the walls are stabilised using the latest technology available.